行政院院長的預測
At a legislative meeting on July 18, Premier Chen Chien-jen revealed some promising predictions for Taiwan’s power consumers: no more shortages or price adjustments this year.
行政院院長陳建仁在7月18日於立法院答詢時透漏幾點預測，對台灣的用電民眾而言為一大福音：今年不會再有缺電或調整電價的情形。
legislative(adj.)立法的、制定法律的legislative body立法機構legislative assembly立法議會legislative power立法權reveal(v.)透漏promising(adj.)有前途的、前景看好的shortage(n.)短缺make adjustments to對～作調整adjust(v.)調整
When answering a question from KMT legislator William Tseng about additional price hikes in 2023, Chen was clear in his response, stating, “I predict there will be no price adjustment.”
在回答國民黨立委曾銘宗關於2023年是否繼續調漲電價的問題時，陳建仁的回答非常明確：「估計是不會再調。」
additional(adj.)額外的(=extra)crystal clear非常明確;清澈透明in response to回應～
However, what Chen and Tseng’s exchange also exposed is the reliance of Taiwan’s electricity prices on fuel imports.
然而，陳建仁和曾銘宗的對話也揭露了台灣電價對進口燃料的依賴。
exchange(n.)交換;對話in exchange for以～交換～expose(v.)接露expose sth. for sth.接露～為～reliance(n.)依賴(+on sth.)
Although Chen did not mince his words, he did note that Taiwanese power customers could see hikes “pending changes in international fuel supply.”
雖然陳建仁並無拐彎抹角，但他指出，台灣用電戶是否看到調漲「要看國際上燃料的情況」。
mince(v.)絞碎do not mince (one’s) words直言不諱、不拐彎抹角call a spade a spade直言不諱beat around the bush拐彎抹角pending(prep.)到～時候為止
Judging from his response, though, he does not see this as much of a possibility.
不過，從他的回答來看，他認為調漲電價不太可能。
judge from／by從～判斷see／regard／think of／view A as B視A為B(not) much of sth.不怎麼樣的～(否定用法)
Furthermore, when questioned by Tseng about what would happen in case of a power shortage, Chen said defiantly that “he does not answer hypotheticals.”
此外，當曾銘宗追問萬一缺電怎麼辦時，陳建仁堅決表示：「不回答假設性的問題」。
furthermore此外(=besides=in addition)in case of萬一defiantly(adv.)堅決地、不接受批評地、不接受不同意見地defiant(adj.)反叛的、挑釁的hypothetical(adj.)假設性的purely hypothetical question純粹假設性的問題
The pair also locked horns over the possible political motivation for Chen’s promise of no further electricity price hikes in 2023.
兩人也就陳建仁承諾2023年不會繼續調漲電價背後的可能政治動機上進行交鋒。
locked horns (with sb.)(over sth.)（跟～）（在～上）交鋒、產生糾紛
Tseng seemingly accused Chen of the current government politicizing this move, pressing him about “whether the price would rise after the election.”
曾銘宗繼續逼問「電價選後再調，對不對」，指控陳建仁，質疑政府當局進行政治操作。
seemingly(adv.)看似、表面上地politicize(v.)政治化press(v.)敦促、逼迫(+sb. for O／to RV)
Chen responded by saying that any price increases would need to be approved by a special committee that follows guidelines to make their decisions.
陳建仁回答，電價調整最終還是要交由遵照準則的專門委員會來決定。
approve(v.)批准approve of同意～
Regardless of the politics behind Chen’s predictions, this is good news for Taiwan’s electricity customers.
無論陳建仁的預測背後的政治動機為何，這對台灣的用電戶來說仍是好消息。
regardless of不論
This year, many of them have already faced several instances of price hikes by Taiwan Power Co.:
今年，許多用電民眾已面臨台灣電力公司數次調漲電價：
in this instance就這個事例而言faced with面臨
first in April, when some residential and business customers saw an 11% average increase, and again in June, when summer rates raised prices for some customers by as much as 28% until the end of September.
第一次是在四月，當時部分住宅民眾和業者電價平均上漲了11%，六月又因夏季電價再調整一次，部分用電戶的電價上漲幅度高達28%，一路到九月底。
residential(adj.)住宅區的reside(v.)居住raise by以～幅度上漲